Hailing from Idaho, Eric has held a fascination for the puppet arts since childhood: how they make better stories, elevate opportunities for learning and highlighting similarities from differences and bringing courage to try and fail/learn and grow. When he was 11, he had a dream where Jim Henson called him to carry on part of puppetry’s work. Of course, Eric said "yes!" Since then, he has been to numerous national and regional festivals, received a masters degree from the University of Connecticut’s PuppetArts program, as well as participating in a puppetry conference, at the O’Neil center. After UCONN, Eric went on to work for the Puppet Co. Playhouse, in Maryland, as a builder, performer, content creator and showcase coordinator, before moving on as a puppetry/movement consultant for Washington, DC metro theatres. During his time at the Puppet Co., Eric co-wrote and helped develop five scripts for their mainstage season. Eric has performed hand puppet shows at Smithsonian's Discovery Theatre, orchestra shows with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, with Bob Brown Puppets and designed multiple puppet figures for family theaters across the DC metro. For the National Puppetry Festival of 2005, one of Eric's scripts was hand-selected by Jerry Juhl to participate in Jerry's script writing workshop. 

As a person with an older sibling with autism, Eric grew up in an environment where inclusion was vital to a heathy family and community. His older brother taught him much about patience, acceptance and what it means to shine the spot light for others, only to stand outside of the light, helping them reach their best potential, while recognizing himself in them. From 2000-2004, Eric worked at the Perkins School for the Blind, where he brought music and life skills to many of the students there. He continues to have relationships with one of them today. 

In 2014, Eric was brought on as a puppet designer to Gallaudet University, in Washington, DC, to construct a large, modular puppet that would be operated by six deaf acting students. He trained them on movement and stage mechanics and the show is know today as one of Gallaudet’s best productions in their decades-old department. 

Richard Termine said once “How beautiful the paint job was” on Eric’s newer characters and once gifted him a limited-edition book of the art of the Muppets, after a workshop in Dillon Montana. Richard saw potential in Eric and they have stayed in touch, since. 

T